Set fair for hottest May day since 1841

SCOTLAND could be on course to break a 176-year-old record for the hottest May temperature as the bank holiday weekend approaches.

A burst of tropical air from Spain will push the mercury up to 30C (86F) in the Moray Firth area tomorrow.

Forecasters at the Met Office have predicted that it could be even hotter in some isolated areas, potentially breaking the 30.9C (87.6F) record set in May 1841.

But the scorching conditions will not last – with storms expected to hit the west coast on Saturday.

Met Office forecaster Simon Partridge said: ‘Tropical air from Spain and Portugal is being pushed up to Scotland, meaning central areas could see temperatures of 30C.

‘And it may get even hotter in some isolated areas. The potential is definitely there given the conditions.’

The build-up of warm air began yesterday, with thermometers hitting 23C (73.4F), the hottest day of the year so far, beating the 22.4C (72.3F) last Tuesday at Lossiemouth, Moray.

Temperatures are set to rise today, with the whole of the mainland basking in 28C (82.4F) of heat, peaking tomorrow with 2930C, 1C warmer than Mexico City.

However, a band of rain and thunderclouds from the west will sweep across the country on Saturday, reaching the east coast by late evening.

Despite the wet forecast, the bad weather is not expected to hit until lunchtime, meaning it will be dry in the morning for most of the country.

Then the cooling effect will see temperatures drop back down to between 22C (71.6F) on the west coast and 25C (77F) in the east. The mercury will fall even further on Sunday and through to Bank Holiday Monday, sinking to 17C (62.6F) in the central belt, and becoming even cooler on the coast on both days. The changeable weather is expected continue into

‘The potential is definitely there’

the week, when it will feel cooler and fresher.

Met Office forecaster Emma Sharples said: ‘Saturday looks like up to 25C in the east, but with the risk of showers for western edges of Scotland. Sunday and Monday look like 20C, with showers in north-east Scotland both days.’

Despite the weekend rain, the Met Office forecasts a hotterthan-normal two months ahead, favouring above-average temperatures over the period covering June and July. The chances of above-average temperatures are said to be almost four times more likely than it being much cooler than average.

The Met Office has predicted more hot spells at the end of this month and into early June.

Further periods of highs around 30C are expected in Scotland.

The Met Office long-range forecast said: ‘For May-July, warmerthan-average conditions are more probable than below-average.

‘The probability UK average temperatures will fall into the warmest of our five categories is 35 per cent. The probability of the coldest categories is 10 per cent.’